Law & Order: SVU: Long Beach Division: Colton
by patrickmgaddis
Summary: A young boy is struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. The case hits close to home for Sergeant Maxwell Clark of the Long Beach Special Victims Unit, when he worries that the victim's brother, who is autistic, will try to take his own life. Meanwhile, ADA Casey Novak, who has been working in Long Beach harbors a secret.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 _In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In Long Beach, California, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit: Long Beach Division. These are their stories_.

 **SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT: LONG BEACH, CA**

Sergeant Maxwell Clark entered his office on Monday morning. As he entered, he discovered a male ADA waiting for him.

"Hello," Clark said. "May I help you?"

"ADA Robert Harding," the ADA said. "You must be Sergeant Maxwell Clark. I'm supposed to be meeting with you."

"No," Clark said. "There's been some kind of mistake. I'm supposed to meet with Casey Novak."

"Casey Novak is off the case and I'm the replacement," Harding said. "She's taken ill."

"First my neighbors keep me up all night," Clark said. "Then my coffee tastes like mud! Now I'm meeting with someone when I was supposed to meet with someone else! Does the world want me to have a meltdown?"

"I was informed you were autistic," Harding said. "Listen. I won't be here long. I just wanted to inform you that the suspect confessed to the rape and is taking a plea bargain. You no longer have to testify."

"That took away a lot of stress," Clark said.

Harding walked out as Wilson walked into the office.

"Hello, Clark," Wilson said. "How are you today?"

"I woke up feeling like it was going to be one of those days," Clark replied. "However, I just found out I don't have to testify in court."

"That's nice," Wilson said.

"I think I'm going to send a get well basket to Casey Novak," Clark said.

"She just has strep throat," Wilson said. "She'll be fine. Don't send her anything."

"Okay," Clark said. "Okay."

Clark's phone began to ring.

"Sergeant Clark," Clark said as he answered.

 **CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: LONG BEACH**

Clark entered the hospital to see a female SVU detective waiting for him.

"What do we have, Natalie?" Clark asked.

"Hello, Sergeant," the officer said. "An 11-year-old boy, Colton Swanson, was hit by a car and the driver just kept driving."

"A hit-and-run," Clark said. "How is the boy?"

"He's in critical condition," Natalie replied. "They don't think he's going to make it."

Clark followed Natalie to the room where a female doctor stood outside.

"I'm afraid we've lost him," the doctor informed them.

Tears fell from Clark's eyes.

"Sergeant?" Natalie asked concerned.

"I'm fine," Clark said.

Clark walked into the room to see Colton's parents crying, while Colton's brother, Jack, shook his brother's lifeless body.

"Wake up, Colton!" Jack screamed. "Wake up! I want you to wake up!"

"Sergeant Maxwell Clark," Clark said. "I'm terrible sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," Colton's mother sobbed. "That's our 15-year-old, Jack. He's autistic."

"I can tell," Clark said. "I am too."

Clark walked over to Jack. Jack continued to shake his brother's body.

"Jack," Clark said softly. "I'm Sergeant Maxwell Clark."

"I want my brother to wake up!" Jack screamed.

"He is dead," Clark said. "I'm so sorry." 

"He can't be dead!" Jack screamed. "He's only 11!"

"I know," Clark said softly.

Jack burst into tears and continued shaking Colton's body.

"Wake up!" Jack sobbed.

Clark grabbed Jack and took him away from the hospital bed.

"Jack," Clark said softly. "He's gone."

"No!" Jack sobbed.

Jack hugged on Clark tightly and cried into his shoulder.

"It's not fair!" Jack screamed. "It's not fair!"

"It's going to be okay," Clark said softly. "It's going to be okay."

"Colton," Jack sobbed. "Colton."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Long Beach Special Victim's Unit: Clark's Office**

Clark sat at his desk while Wilson stood in front of him.

"Clark," Wilson said. "If this case is too much for you to handle…"

"I'm not leaving the case," Clark said.

"Okay," Wilson said. "Calm down."

"I'm really worried about the victim's brother, Jack," Clark said.

"And why is that?" Wilson asked.

"You know what I did when my brother was killed," Clark said. "What I tried to do. I don't want Jack to kill himself."

"Just because he's autistic and he lost his brother, that doesn't mean he's going to try to take his own life," Wilson said.

"You didn't see what he was doing," Clark said. "He was shaking his brother's body and begging him to wake up. He was inconsolable."

"Clark," Wilson said. "He'll be okay."

"I reacted the same way when Paul died!" Clark shouted. "I tried to take my life and I am legitimately scared that Jack will try to do the same thing! Now I will continue to obsess over this!"

"Fine," Wilson said. "You can continue to check up on Jack."

"Thank you," Clark said.

That night, Clark and Shayna sat at a table in a nice restaurant. Being able to spend time with his wife kept his mind off of the case.

"How has your day been?" Clark asked his wife.

"My day has been lovely," Shayna replied with a smile on her face. "I landed the account I've been trying to get for three months."

"Congratulations," Clark said.

"How you your day?" Shayna asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Clark replied.

"That bad?" Shayna asked.

Clark nodded.

"Maxwell," Shayna said. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But promise me you'll eventually talk about it. It's not good for you to keep things bottled up."

"I promise," Clark assured his wife.

"Hey," Shayna said pointing behind him. "Isn't that Casey Novak?"

Clark turned around to see Casey behind them. Her hair was dyed dark brown. Clark got up and walked over to her.

"Casey," Clark said. "It's me, Sergeant Maxwell Clark."

"I can't talk to you," Casey said. "You don't know me."

"Are you on a…" Clark asked.

"Shhhhh," Casey shushed him.

"Sorry, ma'am," Clark said. "I thought you were a friend of mine."

Clark walked back to his table and sat back down.

"What was that all about?" Shayna asked.

Clark shrugged his shoulders.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **SWANSON HOME: LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA**

Clark walked up to the door of the Swanson home and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Swanson opened the door.

"Sergeant," Mrs. Swanson said. "Did they find the driver?"

"Not yet," Clark replied. "We're still looking. I came to check to see how you're doing."

"I feel like completely falling apart," Mrs. Swanson said. "My husband went to go pick up our daughter from the airport. She's flying in from New York."

"How's Jack?" Clark asked.

"He's locked himself in his room," Mrs. Swanson said. "He won't come out for anyone."

"What if he needs to use the bathroom?" Clark asked.

"He has a bathroom connected to his room," Mrs. Swanson replied.

"Can I talk to him?" Clark asked.

"You can try," Mrs. Swanson replied. "Upstairs and then first door on the left."

Clark walked upstairs and knocked on Jack's door.

"Go away!" Jack screamed.

"Jack," Clark said. "It's Sergeant Clark."

The door opened and Jack stood there in the doorway. Tears streamed down his face.

"Can I talk to you?" Clark asked.

Jack nodded and Clark entered the room. Jack closed the door behind him and they sat on the bed.

"Your mother tells me you won't come out of your room," Clark said.

"I don't want to deal with the world right now," Jack cried. "My brother is dead."

"Your parents are worried about you," Clark said.

"You're like me," Jack said.

"Yes," Clark said. "I have autism."

"Then you know how hard it is to be around people," Jack said.

"I sure do," Clark said. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm not okay," Jack said. "I don't know if I will ever be okay again. It's because of me that my brother is dead."

"Why do you say that?" Clark asked.

"Yesterday, my parents weren't home," Jack said. "I wanted to go get donuts and I asked Colton if he wanted to come with me. He said no and that he wanted to just play video games. So I took his remote control and said I'd give it back when we got back from the donut shop. If I hadn't made him come to the donut shop with me, he wouldn't have been hit by the car and he would still be alive."

"Jack," Clark said. "Look at me."

Jack looked Clark in the eye.

"It's not your fault," Clark said. "Do not, not ever for a second, think it was your fault."

Jack and Clark embraced tightly.

"It's okay," Clark said softly.

After speaking with Jack, Clark spoke with Mrs. Swanson in the living room.

"I was around 14 when my brother died," Clark said. "The pain of the loss hit me very hard and I tried to take my life."

"So you think Jack is going…." Mrs. Swanson started to ask before breaking down.

"I don't know," Clark said. "This may just be my autism, but to be on the safe side, you need to put him in therapy."

"Colton just died yesterday," Mrs. Swanson said.

"You need to get him into therapy ASAP," Clark said. "I tried to ignore the pain and I almost killed myself and I spent six months in a mental hospital."

"Get out of my house," Mrs. Swanson said in an angry tone. "Get out before I throw you out."

Clark exited the house, got in his car, and drove home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Clark sat in his office doing research. Lieutenant Wilson then stormed into the office.

"Clark," Wilson said. "We have to talk."

"Yes, Lieutenant?" Clark asked.

"I got an angry call from Jack Swanson's parents," Wilson said.

"You said I could check up on him," Clark said.

"I know I did," Wilson said. "But why would you tell his parents that he could commit suicide?"

"I was worried about him," Clark replied.

"Clark," Wilson said. "This case is hitting too close to home for you."

"Let me guess," Clark said. "I'm off the case."

"It's for the best," Wilson said.

"No," Clark said. "It's not. Let's say a police officer had been in an abusive relationship. Years later, there's a case about someone in an abusive relationship. Would you really take that officer off the case because it hit too close to home? Yes, I have autism. Yes, I get too involved. Yes, I get obsessive. But I am a police sergeant. I can't just leave a case because it's too hard."

"That's a good point," Wilson said. "Maybe I've been too quick to take you off of cases. However, Mrs. Swanson made it very clear that if you're not off the case, she'll file a complaint."

"Yes, sir," Clark said.

Wilson turned to exit the office.

"Wilson?" Clark asked.

"Yes, Clark?" Wilson asked.

"Is Casey Novak in Witness Protection?" Clark asked.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that," Wilson replied.

Wilson turned around.

"Go home to your wife," Wilson said.

Later, Clark stood in line at a donut shop while talking on the phone with Shayna.

"Yes, Shayna," Wilson said. "They have chocolate with sprinkles. Okay, I'll get 5."

Clark laughed.

"Well, because I actually would like some donuts too," Clark said. "I have to eat too."

Clark looked over to see Jack sitting at a table eating a glazed donut.

"I'll call you back," Clark said hanging up.

Clark walked over to Jack and sat across from him.

"All of my cousins and my aunts and uncles came for my brother's funeral," Jack said. "I couldn't take all the people, so I snuck out my window."

"Here," Clark said handing Jack a card. "This card has my direct number on it. If you ever need to talk, please call."

"Thank you," Jack said.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Clark and Shayna sat on the couch eating donuts.

"These are good donuts," Clark said. "I think I've found our new place."

"Yeah," Shayna agreed.

Clark's phone began to ring.

"Sergeant Clark," Clark said as he answered the phone.

"Max?" a voice asked in a scared tone.

"Jack?" Clark asked concerned.

"You know how you said I could call you?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Clark replied.

"I don't know if I can go on," Jack cried.

"Jack," Clark said. "Where are you?"

"Did you know that One World Trade Center is the tallest building in Long Beach?" Jack asked.

"Jack," Clark said. "Please tell me you're not going to jump."

Shayna looked at her husband.

"I'm really considering it," Jack cried. "Can you come here?"

"I'll be right there," Clark replied.

Clark hung up and called Lieutenant Wilson.

"Lieutenant Wilson," Wilson said.

"Lieutenant!" Clark shouted. "It's Clark! I just talked to Jack!"

"Max!" Wilson shouted. "I said you were off the case!"

"He's at One World Trade Center!" Clark shouted. "He's going to jump!"

"Okay," Wilson said. "I'll dispatch police and emergency vehicles."

Clark and Shayna rushed to One World Trade Center. Once there, they discovered several emergency vehicles, police officers, and news crews. Lieutenant Wilson walked up to them as they exited the car.

"He's on the roof," Wilson said.

"Have you spoken to him?" Clark asked.

"Yes," Wilson replied. "He will only talk to you."

Clark looked at Shayna.

"You stay here," Clark said.

"Okay," Shayna said nodding her head.

Clark went through the barricade and went to the rooftop of the building. As he walked onto the roof, he immediately approached Jack.

"Jack," Clark said.

Jack turned around to see Clark. Tears rolled down his face.

"It's a long way down," Clark said.

"Yes," Jack said.

"Please don't jump," Clark said. "It's not the answer."

"My brother is dead," Jack cried. "I can't go on."

"You can't do this to your family!" Clark shouted as he burst into tears. "If you kill yourself, you will hurt your parents!"

Jack didn't respond.

"I was 14 when my brother was struck by a party bus!" Clark shouted. "After 6 months in a coma, he was taken off of life support! When I was 15, I swallowed a whole bottle of over-the-counter pills! However, I saw a PSA on suicide prevention and was able to tell my parents, and I got my stomach pumped! I wanted to be with my brother so bad, that I didn't think about what would happen to my parents if I were dead!"

Clark wiped the tears from his face.

"I know you're in pain," Clark cried as he held out his hand. "I know pain. My heart aches for Paul everyday. But, Jack. If you jump, you're dead. Don't be so selfish. Don't do this to your family."

Jack walked to Clark, embraced him tightly, and cried into his shoulder. Clark held Jack tightly in his arms.

"It's okay," Clark said softly. "I'm here. I've got you."

"I need help," Jack sobbed.

"You're going to get the help you need," Clark assured Jack.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Clark sat in his office going over a case file. Jack walked into the office.

"Sergeant Clark," Jack said.

Clark looked up at Jack.

"I wanted to thank you for saving me from jumping," Jack said.

"You're welcome," Clark said.

"My parents are sending me to New Hampshire to live with my aunt," Jack said. "My parents think living in New Hampshire will be better for me. Plus, there's a special therapist there for teenagers on the autism spectrum who are going through a painful loss."

Clark stood up and walked over to Jack.

"I am going to do everything I can to find your brother's killer," Clark said.

Jack saw the picture of Shayna.

"Is that your wife?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Clark replied.

"I do hope you can catch my brother's killer," Jack said. "But don't lose sight of what's important in your life."

Later that day, Clark lead Shayna down a sidewalk. Shayna had a blindfold over her eyes.

"When can I take this blindfold off?" Shayna asked.

"In a little bit," Clark replied.

"Max," Shayna said. "I'm getting dizzy."

"Okay," Clark said. "You can take it off now."

Shayna removed her blindfold to see a 4-bedroom house.

"What's this?" Shayna asked.

"Our new house," Clark replied. "I've rented it for the same we were paying for that tiny apartment."

"You didn't," Shayna said.

"I did," Clark said.

"Maxwell," Shayna said. "You shouldn't rent a house without consulting me first. We're married and… Did you say same price as that tiny apartment?" 

"Yes," Clark replied.

Shayna embraced her husband and kissed him.

"But seriously," Shayna said. "Don't ever do something like this without consulting me again."

"Okay," Clark said.

THE END


End file.
